Budget Prime. Budget Prime Price and main characteristics

Xiaomi Redmi 4 is the expected update to the popular series of mid-range smartphones from Xiaomi. Of course, first of all it will be compared with its predecessor, but the improvements are obvious - it received a Full HD display, and the Pro version has a Snapdragon 625 processor, 3GB of RAM and a huge 4100 mAh battery. Considering that it runs on MIUI, Redmi 4 is capable of greatly influencing the budget smartphone market and literally turning it upside down.c

Equipment

The delivery package of the Redmi 4 smartphone is spartanly modest. In addition to the smartphone, we receive a charger with a Chinese plug, a paper clip, a Euro adapter for charging, a micro-USB cable, and instructions in Chinese.

There are no additional accessories in the standard set. If desired, you can always order additional accessories on Aliexpress through our.

Design and build quality

What we like about Xiaomi is that it produces even budget smartphones with excellent build quality. Holding a smartphone in your hand, hardly anyone will understand that Redmi 4 belongs to the budget class.

The Redmi 4 body is completely metal and seems to be completely monolithic. Redmi 3S had plastic stripes on the top and bottom of the body. Redmi 4 is somewhat similar - it has a 0.6 mm wide strip on top and 0.4 mm on the bottom.

The body is slightly convex on the sides, however, it lies comfortably in the hand. They really decided to work seriously on ergonomics.

The power button and volume rocker are located on the right side of the case as standard. They have noticeable feedback and no backlash.

At the bottom there are speakers and a microUSB port.

On the left side you can find an almost invisible tray for two SIM cards (Nano + Micro). You can also install a microSD card if there is a need to increase the memory capacity.

At the top end there is a standard 3.5 mm audio jack for a headset, an additional microphone and an infrared port. Yes, this budget smartphone easily works as a remote control for compatible media devices.

Despite the metal body, Redmi 4 weighs 160 g. This may even surprise you because it has a 4100 mAh battery. In terms of size, this smartphone is exactly the same - 14 x 7 cm, but it has become a little thicker - 8.9 mm. Obviously, it can be handled with one hand.

The main camera is installed so that its module does not protrude above the rear panel at all. There is a dual-tone LED flash next to the camera. Just below there is a fingerprint scanner, which works quickly and accurately. The smartphone can be called from standby mode in a split second.

Below the display are standard silver capacitive keys, but they are not backlit. The notification LED is located above the screen and can be illuminated in 7 different colors. This can be adjusted in the system settings.
Unfortunately, the back panel is non-removable and therefore it is impossible to replace the battery yourself.

Display

Only the Redmi 4 Pro version has a Full HD screen, but this can also be considered a significant improvement compared to its predecessor. The 5-inch display has a pixel density of 440 ppi. Even if you look closely, you will not be able to see an individual pixel in the image. By the way, the display has a frame that is only 2.5 mm thick.

The color reproduction of the Redmi 4 display is accurate, the colors are saturated. Subjectively, Xiaomi smartphones have displays with warm color reproduction, but this is even better. If you don't like it, you can change the color temperature and saturation in the settings.

The display brightness is average. However, among competitors you can find models with a brighter screen. Although in real life the Redmi 4 screen is readable even outdoors in sunlight. The contrast is high and texts are also readable without problems.

The screen sensor recognizes up to 10 touch points simultaneously. During the tests, all touches were read accurately, quickly, and without errors. The screen is protected by special glass, but it’s definitely not Gorilla Glass.

Redmi 4 additionally has several options to customize the screen, including reading mode (there will be less blue). If you are used to reading an e-book from your smartphone screen before going to bed, then you will like this option. It is possible to configure the reading mode so that it automatically turns on and off at a certain time.

Different versions of Xiaomi Redmi 4

Xiaomi offers 3 different models of Redmi 4: standard version (Redmi 4), Pro version and simplified version (Redmi 4A).

Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro / Prime

Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro/Prime is the most powerful version in this budget series of smartphones from Xiaomi. The smartphone received 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 625 processor. In addition, it initially has 32GB of internal memory, a main 13-megapixel camera with PDAF autofocus (with phase detection) and a dual-tone LED flash.

Xiaomi Redmi 4

This is the standard version of the smartphone with the Snapdragon 430 processor, which is also installed in the Redmi 3S. Compared to Redmi 4 Pro, we don't get the same power here. Display with HD resolution, 2GB of RAM, and only 16GB of internal memory.

Xiaomi Redmi 4a

Ultra-budget version of the smartphone. It has an even less powerful Snapdragon 425 processor, a camera without phase detection autofocus (PDAF), and a 3120 mAh battery.

In 2017, Xiaomi introduced another smartphone model called Redmi 4x. You can learn more about it from the material:

Performance

The older version of Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor with 3GB of RAM. These are the parameters of a mid-range smartphone. The processor is eight-core with Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of up to 2 GHz and an Adreno 506 graphics accelerator.

The top-end Redmi 4 Prime may be the smartest choice, since, despite its low cost, it has a powerful Snapdragon 625 processor. All applications and functions of the phone work without lags or delays, rendering occurs quickly and without errors when surfing the Internet. In general, Redmi 4 Pro copes well with its tasks.

There is 32GB of internal memory, but don’t forget about the slot for microSD cards. The read/write speed reaches 215/80 MB/s, which is a good indicator. RAM speed reaches 7 GB/s.

Specifications

	63000
	Xiaomi Markw
Announcement date	2016, November
Network support	GSM/CDMA/HSPA/EVDO/LTE
- 2G	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2
- 3G	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
- 4G	LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 7(2600), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
Bluetooth	v4.2, A2DP, LE
WiFi	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, access point
Dimensions	141.3 x 69.6 x 8.9 mm (5.56 x 2.74 x 0.35 inches)
Weight	156 g (5.50 oz)
Battery	Non-removable, Li-Ion 4100 mAh
Display	(~70.1% of smartphone surface)
- permission	1080 x 1920 pixels (~441 ppi)
CPU	Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625
- processor frequency	Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
- graphics	Adreno 506
Memory	32 GB, 3 GB RAM
USB	microUSB v2.0
Camera	Photo/Video
- main	13 MP, f/2.2, phase detection autofocus, dual LED dual-tone flash
- frontal	5 MP, f/2.2, 1080p
operating system	Android OS, v6.0.1 (Marshmallow)

Game test

Xiaomi Redmi 4 pro received a good Adreno 506 graphics accelerator, which supports all major interfaces: Vulkan, OpenCL 2.0 and Direct3D 12 FL 11.1 and 12.1, OpenGL ES 3.1, AE 3.2.
Smartphones show relatively good gaming performance. You can enjoy playing Asphalt Extreme, Real Racing 3 or Mortal Combat X. Lags will be noticeable in games like Modern Combat. Clash of Clans or World of Tanks tested without problems.

Video – game test on Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro

Smartphones usually get hot during games, sometimes very hot. Redmi 4 does not have a similar problem. The rear did not warm up more than 30 degrees, while the front remained around 28 degrees.

Also, you won't notice much difference in performance between the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 with Helio X20 processor and the Redmi 4 Pro. If you wanted to buy an inexpensive smartphone that you can play on, then both the Redmi Note 4 and the Redmi 4 will do. Only in the most demanding games will you notice minor stuttering.

Camera

The main camera of Xiaomi Redmi 4 is 13-megapixel, with PDAF autofocus and f/2.2 aperture. It is capable of taking excellent quality photos in good lighting conditions, even when other smartphones in the same price category cannot cope with the task.

The quality of the pictures can be compared to those taken with the Redmi Note 4 camera.

Color rendition is natural, colors are saturated. In this regard, Redmi 4 has proven itself to be excellent, since we have not noticed the same quality in smartphones under $150. Autofocus is almost instantaneous; you won't notice any delay between pressing the button and the shutter being released.

Photos have perfect clarity, but if taken in good lighting. If you take pictures indoors, grain appears, which is typical for inexpensive smartphone models.

Alas, in poor lighting you should not expect a miracle. Noise will appear that cannot be eliminated even when switching to night shooting mode.

Example video from Xiaomi Redmi 4 smartphone

The front 5-megapixel camera also takes good photos in daylight and selfie lovers will appreciate it.
The camera app offers several filters and advanced settings. There is an advanced settings mode in which you can manually set all camera settings.

Videos can be recorded at a maximum resolution of 1080p. The quality of the videos is good, the sound is recorded clearly.

Battery

The battery life of the Xiaomi Redmi 4 is amazing and this is one of the biggest advantages of the smartphone. It is almost impossible to discharge the battery in a day. Even at the testing stage with running games, tests, watching videos and surfing the Internet, this phone was able to work for two days. The battery loses about 4% charge per hour when playing Full HD video from YouTube with the screen brightness set to medium. If you play demanding games like Asphalt 8, the battery will lose 5% charge in half an hour. In the PC Mark Battery test, the smartphone lasted 14 hours. This is one of the best results we have ever received in this test. It is possible that battery life will only increase with firmware updates.

The Redmi 4 battery is fully charged in 2.5 hours.

Video – Review of Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime

Results

pros

• excellent build quality;
• extremely durable battery;
• excellent Full HD screen;
• good performance;
• good camera;
• stylish design, looks expensive.

cons

• non-removable battery;
• Low-light conditions produce poor quality photos.

Xiaomi offers the perfect mid-range phone with the best balance of performance, quality and price. The metal body of Redmi 4 is magnificent, it looks much more expensive than its actual cost. The Snapdragon 625 processor guarantees good performance. You will be able to play even very demanding games. In addition, this smartphone has a good Full HD display, a good camera and a powerful battery. The only drawback may be limited LTE support. If you are currently looking for a 5-inch smartphone that can handle all the basic tasks and is suitable for gaming, even graphically demanding ones, then you should definitely choose the Xiaomi Redmi 4.

Many users complain about very poor sound quality when shooting video with the Xiaomi Redmi 4A phone. Judging by the questions on the MIUI forum, this problem is also present in other Xiaomi Redmi 4th and 3rd series phones.

The thing is that noise reduction is enabled by default in the sound settings, and at the time of writing this article, there is no switch in the MIUI interface to disable it.

Many owners of the Xiaomi Redmi 4A smartphone (and other models) have already sent complaints to the developers about this bug, but in the new version of the MIUI firmware (8.5.1.0 at the time of writing), the situation with the camera’s sound quality has not improved. Therefore, there are two options left: wait and hope that this defect will be fixed in future firmware versions, or fix the bug yourself.

To disable noise reduction yourself, you need to edit the system files. To gain access to system files, you must first.

For the convenience of making edits to system files, you can use any file manager that allows you to view and edit system files; we will use the popular file manager ES Explorer (ES Explorer) with a built-in editor ES Note Editor (ES Editor).

Disabling Noise Canceling

First of all, you need to enable the ability to view system files. To do this, in the menu on the left in ES Explorer, activate the “Root Explorer” option. If your phone is properly rooted, you will be prompted to grant permissions.

In the same menu, expand the "Local Storage" group, select "Device", go to the "/system/etc" directory on the device and find the "audio_platform_info.xml" file. For ease of viewing files, you can switch their display in list form. To do this, click on the vertical ellipsis in the upper right corner and select "View", then "Medium, Detailed".

Be sure to copy the "audio_platform_info.xml" file (and other system files that you will change) somewhere (for example, to the "Downloads" folder on the memory card) before editing it, because if something goes wrong, you can always restore it from a backup copy. Open the file using the built-in editor in ES Explorer (ES Editor or ES Note Editor) and switch to editing mode by clicking on the "Edit" icon in the panel at the top. Find the line:

and add the following 2 lines below it:

When typing text, it is advisable to disable autocorrect on the keyboard, since additional characters may be added, which will lead to the configuration file not working and, as a result, the inability to record video on the phone or even break the operating system. To type in capital letters, hold down the capitalization button for a few seconds; to return to lowercase, briefly press it again.

Save the file and check that its permissions are "rw−r−−r−−". To do this, press and hold the file until a green check mark appears next to it and a context menu appears. Then click on the vertical ellipsis (More) in the lower right corner and select "Properties".

If in the "Permission" line the rights differ from "rw−r−−r−−", click the "Change" button and check the boxes in the form of the letter "G".

Increase video recording volume

After turning off noise reduction, the recording sound becomes too quiet. To increase it, in the same folder "/system/etc" you need to edit the file "mixer_paths_qrd_sku2.xml", but do not forget to make a backup copy of it before that.

Find the code snippet:

And add lines to it so that the resulting passage is as follows:

Do the same with the passage:

The resulting code should be as follows:

Save the file and don't forget to check its permissions (see above).

Reboot your phone. That's it, you can check the camera sound. By the way, the above steps will also improve the quality of the voice recorder recording on your Xiaomi Redmi 4A phone.

In the video below you can hear the sound quality before and after performing the above steps.

Everyone was waiting for the update of the line of budget phones from Xiaomi with genuine enthusiasm, since it became a real bestseller and established itself as the best inexpensive smartphone among others and competing models on the market in terms of price/quality ratio.

The fourth Redmi was presented in 3 versions - ultra-budget, standard 4 and top-end 4 Pro. In this review, we will take a closer look at Redmi 4 and 4 Pro, as the most current devices. Whereas 4A is a rather controversial model, since now for the same money you can get a cheaper 3S, which is better than the stripped-down new product in all respects.

Price and main characteristics

At the start of sales, the stated price of Redmi 4 is $103, the Pro model is $133. If you take a closer look at these smartphones, you can find more differences than identical qualities. Xiaomi, at the request of fans, left processors from Qualcomm in the fourth generation, but the CPUs themselves are different, and the rest of the hardware inside the devices is also different.

Let's look at the technical characteristics of the heroes of our review.

The dimensions of the smartphone in both versions are 141*70*8.9 mm, weight – 157 grams. They are produced in traditional Xiaomi body colors - black-gray, black-white and gold.

Equipment and appearance

Smartphones are delivered in small boxes made of hard white cardboard. The size of the package is small, the phone lies close to its walls, all the included accessories are neatly folded under the smartphone.

In the kit we receive:

• charging adapter;
• USB-C cable;
• SIM card tray clip.

At first glance, the smartphones are twins; the differences are only in the location of the IR sensor on the top end, but upon closer examination, you can feel the difference in the painting and the texture of the metal itself. In the older version it is more rough and matte, which gives the smartphone a more expensive feel. In general, holding Redmi 4 Pro in your hands is somewhat more pleasant than the standard version.

The body of both smartphones is made of aluminum, the entire front side is covered with protective 2.5D glass, which has a good oleophobic coating. The front part of Redmi 4 is practically no different from the third version, there are the same backlit touch buttons, and the location of the sensor unit, microphone and front camera above the screen is identical.

But the back cover has undergone major changes. The main camera module is now located in the middle of the body, next to it is a double flash, and under the camera is a fingerprint sensor. The camera does not protrude beyond the cover, due to which the optics will not be scratched.

At the bottom of the back cover there is a plastic strip for the antenna; on top there is a full-size plastic insert, which is almost identical to the color of the case and does not spoil the appearance of the smartphone.

The side ends are made of metal with rounded edges, making the phone comfortable to hold in your hand and not cutting your palm with sharp corners. Everything is done extremely carefully - chamfers, perforations for the speaker and USB, nothing creaks or plays anywhere. For build quality, Redmi 4 deserves the highest rating.

In terms of design, the only thing I can complain about is the huge black frames around the screen; even on its predecessor, the 3S, the display bezel was thinner. So if you want the frames to not be conspicuous, you will have to take a smartphone with a black front color.

Screen

The younger modification of Redmi 4 is equipped with a Full HD IPS display with a diagonal of 5 inches. The screen is the same as in the previous version of the 3S, and it was good there. This resolution is more than enough for 5 inches - the picture is sharp, detailed and quite contrasty. However, the screen is very yellow, even when the color temperature settings are set to cool.

In the older version, with a similar display size, the resolution has increased to 1920*1080 pixels, which provides a pixel density of 443 ppi. Despite the fact that there is no real need for FULL HD resolution on such a diagonal, lovers of high-quality screens should pay more for the Redmi 4 Pro. When comparing head-to-head, the screen here is an order of magnitude sharper and more contrasty; we also note a more adequate color temperature and a higher level of maximum brightness.

In general, it’s hard to complain about the Redmi 4 display, given its cost. In addition, it is worth considering that, all other things being equal, the battery life of a smartphone with a lower screen resolution should be slightly higher.

Performance

Both smartphones are powered by Qualcomm processors: the younger model has a Snapdragon 430 (8 cores, maximum clock speed of 1.4 GHz) paired with an Adreno 505 video accelerator, while the Redmi 4 Pro version has a Snapdragon 625 + Mali 506 (8 cores) , frequency 2.0 GHz).

In terms of performance, the 4 Pro unconditionally outperforms the standard version, which has the same processor as the 3S (the only difference is that the RAM speed has increased to 800 MHz). In the Pro version, we get not only a more recent processor, but also an increased amount of RAM to 3 GB and more internal memory - 32 versus 16 GB. In the synthetic Antutu Benchmark test, the difference between the results of smartphones is 20 thousand parrots - 62 and 41 thousand points, respectively.

The maximum modification of the smartphone performed well both in resource-intensive 3D games, where the device heated up to only 39 degrees and produced stable FPS, without drops, and when surfing the Internet - even when opening 6-7 tabs, they are stored in the cache without problems, and applications are not unloaded from the background.

The performance of the younger version of Redmi 4 will be enough for people who do not load their smartphone to the maximum. If you use the device for calls, instant messengers, surfing the Internet and watching videos, then this is a good choice. However, knowing the gluttony of MIUI, we still recommend overpaying for 4 Pro for the sake of 3 GB of RAM and the 625th dragon. In games, the difference will be small, but the system itself will work much more stable and, most importantly, you will not encounter constant unloading of applications from the cache, which the version with 2 GB of RAM suffers from.

Camera

Despite the same resolution and aperture of the main cameras, which deceptively indicates their identity, the camera matrices in the fourth generation of Redmi are different. The Redmi 4 Pro has a camera module from Samsung, while the standard version uses a simpler Omnivision matrix. However, in practice, smartphones shoot almost identically; without closely examining the cropped images, the difference may not be noticed at all.

For the price, the image quality is quite good. In good lighting, the accurate determination of white balance is pleasing, which ensures natural color rendition, decent detail and sharpness.

Continuous shooting is not the Redmi 4's strong point; the automatic system often sets the wrong shutter speed, which results in blurry pictures. However, there are no problems with shooting static and slowly moving objects, just as there are no complaints about autofocus during single shooting.

In poor lighting, photographs begin to make noise, detail is lost and “soap” appears - these are standard problems for all budget smartphones, so there is nothing critical here. More or less acceptable quality of evening and night photography is provided by devices that cost twice as much.

The front camera in both smartphones is represented by a simple 5 MP module. You can get acceptable image quality only in daylight, while with artificial lighting the result leaves much to be desired.

The HDR mode on both Redmi 4 and 4 Pro is quite slow - processing the image takes at least 3-4 seconds. The standard camera application provides manual settings; you can control exposure compensation, ISO and shutter speed.

Speaker, sound quality

The external speaker of both smartphones is completely identical, so there is parity between the Redmi 4 versions in terms of sound quality and volume. The sound is comparable to that on the Redmi 3S - the volume headroom is good, there is even a slight hint of lower frequencies, the sound is clear, without artifacts or distortion.

It's nice to watch video content on Redmi 4; the device is even good as a boom box for undemanding music listening. Calls and alarms, thanks to the high maximum volume, are heard perfectly.

The sound in the headphones does not cause delight, it is boring and a little muffled, the volume is satisfactory. There’s no reason to complain about the lack of a dedicated audio chip in budget smartphones, so we’ll be content with what we have.

Battery

Both smartphones run on Li-On batteries with a capacity of 4100 mAh. In terms of battery life, these are some of the best smartphones on the market, even with intensive use they last two full days without any problems. It is surprising that there is no difference in autonomy between the maximum and standard versions, although a more productive device from the same battery usually works less - apparently, the improved optimization of power consumption of the new Snapdragon 625 had an effect.

When watching YouTube videos at maximum brightness, Redmi 4 lasts 9 hours. Smartphones are fully charged in 2.5 hours, there is also a Qualcomm QC 2.0 fast charging function, but in practice it does not work well - the difference between the charging speed in different modes does not exceed 15 minutes. Note that the more modern version of Quick Charge 3 is supported by the 625-dragon, but this function is not implemented in Redmi 4 Pro. We hope that Xiaomi will add it in future firmware versions

Communication and Internet

Support for wireless interfaces on smartphones is identical, except that Redmi 4 is equipped with Bluetooth 4.1, and the Pro version has BT 4.2 with lower power consumption. Both smartphones have hybrid trays for a SIM card + flash drive, one radio module and an IR sensor.

Smartphones maintain the operator’s network and 4G Internet equally confidently, as well as synchronize with Glonass and GPS navigation satellites. In addition to the standard set of built-in sensors, there is a gyroscope and a compass; an NFC module is not provided. Somewhat disappointing is the lack of USB-C support, instead the phones are equipped with a regular Micro-USB connector. So, if you need to connect an external device to your smartphone, you will have to use an OTG adapter.

Video review of Redmi 4 and 4 PRO

Competitors, conclusion

Concluding the review of Xiaomi Redmi 4, we will say that both versions of the smartphone turned out to be extremely successful. These are worthy successors to the bestselling Redmi 3S, which will be very popular in the budget segment of the market. If you want to buy a fresh, fairly powerful smartphone in a nice body that will have good community support and a lot of custom firmware, Redmi 4 is the only choice.

Is it worth overpaying for the Redmi 4 Pro version? In our opinion, yes - it has a better screen, performance and, most importantly, an increased amount of RAM. This is important because the MIUI shell is very demanding on the amount of RAM and with the standard version you will constantly encounter the annoying unloading of browser tabs from the cache and the closing of applications running in the background.

Among the alternatives to the maximum modification of Redmi 4, one can note the universally loved old man from Xiaomi - Redmi Note 3 Pro (bigger screen, better camera) or the still current Mi4C on the 820th dragon. Among smartphones from other manufacturers, we highlight Le Eco Cool1 (dual camera) and Meizu M3e.

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Literally any smartphone sooner or later experiences a software failure, the reason for which lies in the device’s firmware. In order to determine the type of failure, manufacturers have developed a special menu through which the user can independently diagnose any modules of the device and find out what the cause of the problem is.

Today we will introduce you to its main functions on Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro and Xiaomi Redmi 4x and learn how to enter the engineering menu.

The engineering menu is a hidden gadget settings menu, which was created with the purpose of diagnosing and correcting various problems and errors in the operation of the device. The manufacturer did not place these settings in the standard settings menu because an inexperienced user can mess things up, causing the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 to stop making calls or playing music. Therefore, we recommend that you be extremely careful so as not to damage the phone and then not take the “brick” to the service center.

Engineering menu functions:

• Volume and sound in the conversational and main speakers;
• Microphone settings;
• Networks and GPS;
• IMEI repair;
• Camera parameter settings;
• Optimizing the operating system to reduce battery consumption.

Of course, there are a number of other functions, but these are the most popular.

We give gifts

How to enter the Xiaomi engineering menu

Below are the two main methods of entering the phone's engineering menu using the Redmi Note 4x as an example. There is also a third one, but it involves installing third-party applications and is most often used if the first two are not working for some reason.

1. Through phone settings. This method is universal and suitable for almost all Xiaomi phone models. So go to “Settings - About phone - Kernel version”. Click on this item three times (slowly), and then click twice more if this message appears. Ready.
2. Using Xiaomi Redmi codes. Open the dialer and enter one of the code options: *#*#6484#*#* , *#*#4636#*#* or *#*#3646633#*#* - some of them will work one hundred percent.

If for some reason none of the methods works, then you will have to resort to the third method, which was described above - use third-party software. For example, we can recommend programs or MTK Engineering (link to Google Play), which you can install on your smartphone. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

MobileUncle Tools

The most powerful application at the moment, which provides the user with the ability to perform a wider range of operations with the device (however, this only works with smartphones running on the MTK chipset).

To start using the application, you need to obtain superuser (root) rights on your phone and give permission to the program to use them. Once the program is open, click "Engineering Mode" and select "Engineering menu (MTK)". Today, this application has been removed from the Play Market, but it is not at all difficult to find it on the Internet. Since the program developer is Chinese, you can find two versions - in English or Chinese.

MTK Engineering

This is a fairly popular program among users to enter the engineering menu, which is very convenient and fast to use. After downloading it, open the menu item Android Testing, which contains battery and phone information, usage statistics and Wi-Fi information. To enter the engineering menu, select Engineer Mode.

Results

In conclusion, I would like to warn you that it is better to enter this menu and make changes only when you know exactly what you are doing, otherwise you run a high risk of breaking or ruining something. We wish you good luck!

The main selection criteria were compact size, performance, battery life and acceptable shooting quality with the main camera. All this came down to a budget of 13 thousand rubles. And so, two days before the New Year, I began to select acceptable options available in mobile communications stores and study the technical characteristics of the contenders. The study identified the following candidates: Meizu m3s mini, Lenovo Vibe S1 Lite, Xiaomi Redmi Pro and Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro. As a result, Redmi 4 Pro with its impressive 4000 mAh battery and Qualcomm processor overcame ☺.

The phone was purchased for 12,290 rubles on December 31, 2016. I’ll say right away that I don’t regret the purchase. But first things first.

1. Equipment

The phone is packed in an ascetic white box, which is crowned with the number 4 at the top.

The standard equipment, matching the packaging, is quite modest and consists of the phone itself, a USB cable, instructions and a paperclip for removing the SIM card tray. Considering the price, I didn't expect anything else.

2. Appearance and ergonomics

The phone is a block of glass, metal and plastic. The plastic consists of a plastic insert painted in the color of the case at the top of the back cover and a thin light stripe at the bottom. To be honest, the insert does not quite fit harmoniously into the picture; its color is slightly darker than the lid itself.

The screen is covered with tempered 2.5D glass, rounded at the edges. Below the screen there are control buttons. Unfortunately, they are not equipped with backlighting, which initially created certain difficulties in the dark.

The rear view reveals a camera eye, a dual-tone flash, a fingerprint scanner and the Mi logo.

On the right side there is a volume button and a power/lock button. Both buttons are metal, not flimsy and hard to press. I do not experience any discomfort when using them.

On the left side there is a tray for SIM cards.

The top end is occupied by a 3.5 mm headphone jack, an infrared port and a microphone.

Holes for speakers and a USB port are located at the bottom. There is only one external speaker and it is located on the right.

I really don't like the trend towards using USB Type-C and ditching the traditional headphone jack. In this regard, Redmi 4 Pro pleased me.

Overall, the phone looks strict and nice, although a little boring. But definitely more expensive than its price.

It is comfortable to use and fits well in my hand. The dimensions are quite compact and do not cause inconvenience (width - 69.6 mm, thickness - 8.9 mm).

3. Screen

The screen diagonal is 5 inches, it is made using S-IPS technology. Screen resolution - 1080*1920 pixels. I specifically chose the black option because it doesn't show the thin dark edge on the sides of the screen. I, who am not tempted by refinements, are quite satisfied with it. The brightness reserve is enough for any lighting conditions, the picture is contrasty and clear. In the settings, you can select three tone modes (warm, natural, cool) and two saturation modes (bright and cool).

I’m also very pleased with the presence of a reading mode, thanks to which my eyes are much less tired in the evening. You can set this mode to turn on according to a schedule (for example, from 20:00 to 6:00).

Comparing the screen with Meizu m3s, I noticed that I can say that the colors in Redmi 4 Pro are more saturated and there is no greenish tint in white. The screen manufacturer in my version is EBBG.

Below are examples of screen images.

4. Operating system, shell and performance

By default, my Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro has Android 6.0 Marshmallow installed. On top was the unofficial version of MIUI 8.0.6.0.0 (the so-called “flip-flop”). In January, the official global firmware for Redmi 4 Pro was released. I reflashed the phone using the 3-point method according to the instructions from the 4pda website, all manipulations took no more than 30 minutes and there were no problems. After this, the firmware was automatically updated over the air twice; at the moment the current version is MIUI Global 8.2.4.0 (MEMIDL). After installing the official firmware, the operating time on one charge increased by 5-10 percent.

MIUI is a fairly flexible shell, with many small settings and an abundance of different themes for design. For me, working in MIUI does not cause discomfort.

By default, a minimum of third-party programs are installed: BeautyPlus (selfie enhancer), News Reporter (news selection) and Mi Remote (a program for controlling household appliances via infrared).

There is also a built-in antivirus, weather forecast, compass and barcode scanner. I was pleased with the presence of a radio, which, however, only works when a headset is connected.

The standard MI browser does not make you want to install anything else (Chrome, Opera, UC) and, in my opinion, includes all the necessary functions. Everything is concise and convenient.

The combination of an 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and 3 gigabytes of RAM allows you to run many applications, even the most resource-intensive ones, without any problems. In AnTuTu, my device scored 62219 parrots.

I'm not a big fan of games, I only have two installed: logic 2048 and the arcade Rail Rush. While playing the latter, I didn’t notice any slowdowns or freezes.

5. Camera

The main camera of Redmi 4 Pro is 13-megapixel with f/2.2 aperture. It allows you to take high-quality photographs in good lighting. In the settings you can manually set white balance and ISO, there is a timer (3-10 sec), start shooting by voice command, automatic alignment for the gyroscope, night mode.

You can also shoot panoramas and use preset settings for various conditions (portrait, landscape, sports, etc.). The camera interface is not overloaded.

In addition, various shooting effects are available with one touch (pastoral, black and white photo, stretch, tunnel, etc.).

Here are examples of shooting with the main camera in various conditions:

There's also an HDR mode that makes photos sharper but also improves autofocus by a fraction of a second.

The front camera is 5 megapixel without autofocus.

The main camera can shoot video in Full HD resolution at 30 frames per second.

In general, the camera in the phone is at the level of a good digital point-and-shoot camera.

6. Battery and autonomy

Perhaps the strongest point of the Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro is its battery life. The battery capacity is 4000 mAh.

There is also a power saving mode, in which all background processes work with a limitation and applications that are not used for a long time are automatically unloaded. The mode can be turned on according to a schedule.

From my own experience, I can say that with 30-40 minutes of calls a day, surfing the Internet for 1.5-2 hours, watching videos from Youtube for an hour and listening to music for the same amount of time, the battery will run out by the evening of the third day. It should be clarified that the brightness is 50% of the maximum.

7. Sound

Perhaps the only negative point for me is one small problem, which, judging by the reviews on the forums, occurs quite often in Redmi 4 Prime. These are periodic wheezing sounds in the external speaker when playing a call melody. This problem disappeared for me after the latest shell update, and I hope that forever. The volume of the external speaker is high, thanks to its location the call can always be heard.

8. Something else...

The internal memory capacity of Redmi 4 Prime is 32 GB, of which 6.25 GB is occupied by the system. The combination slot allows you to insert a memory card, although you will have to sacrifice a second SIM card. And although the capacity of the internal memory is quite sufficient for me, the ability to expand it is pleasing.

The positive thing is that there is a separate application with a large number of free themes to design your phone. Although this relates more to the advantages of MIUI itself.

Conclusions

To sum up, I can say that I was satisfied with my choice. Long operating time, good screen, stable and convenient MIUI shell, good camera, metal body, good looks - these are definite advantages of Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro. And even small shortcomings, such as problems with the speaker and the lack of backlighting of the keys, do not outweigh the advantages of the device for me. Definitely buy it, the phone is 200% worth the money.

meraphoenix